Abstract
Poor readers, 7 to 12 years old with normal intelligence, were rated by their teachers on a fifteen-item inventory of abnormal motor behavior. Three rotated factors, obtained from factor analysis of the ratings, were interpreted as an Activity-Level Factor, an Attention-Span Factor, and a Motor-Coordination Factor. The children had previously been given a reaction-time test. Reaction-times, which were unusually slow for the poor readers, were significantly correlated with scores on the Motor-Coordination Factor. Reminiscence scores from the reaction-time test, which were unusually large for the poor readers, were significantly correlated with scores on the Attention-Span Factor. Neither reaction-time nor reminiscence scores were related to the Activity-Level Factor. An interpretation of “hyperactivity,” and an explanation of the high incidence of motor-coordination problems in poor readers are proposed.